Roll of Honour - Norfolk - Caistor St Edmund

Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

CAISTOR ST EDMUND WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 & 2 - Detailed Information
Compiled and Copyright ©Michael Peck 2017

The War Memorial stands in the churchyard of St. Edmund Church, Casitor St Edmund, Norfolk and is a Grade II listed building. It was first unveiled in 1922 by Reverend John Corbould Warren, the Rector of Caistor-with-Markshall, and is dedicated to the fallen of the First and Second World Wars. It is made from limestone and takes the form of a tapered octagonal-plan cross bearing a crucifix on its front (east) elevation, standing on a square-plan plinth and two-stepped platform. The plinth is inscribed on its front face. There is also a wooden information board in the porch of the church listing names from World War 1 and 2.

LET US ALWAYS REMEMBER
BEFORE GOD THESE GALLANT
MEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
FOR THE EMPIRE AND FPR
FREEDOM IN THE GREAT WAR
1914-1918

BACK	Charles Edward	Rifleman R/11239. 21st Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps. Died of wounds 20th September 1917. Son of John Back (mother unknown, previously married to Elizabeth Jane Back who died 1895. Note Maud Hipkin in house 1901) of Caistor St Edmund, Norfolk. Born 1897 Poringland and enlisted Norwich. Entered France 17th August 1915. Commemorated Tyne Cot Memorial. Panel 115 to 119 and 162A and 163A.
BLAKE	Walter W John	Walter William John Blake. Rifleman O/17. 3rd Battalion, Rifle Brigade. Died of wounds 29th March 1918. Son of Walter and Eliza Blake of Hall Cottage, Wacton Common, Norfolk. Born 26th November 1898 Mattishall (as SDGW, born Hardingham on baptism record and census), enlisted Lowestoft and resident Flixton, SFK. Commemorated Pozieres Memorial. Panel 81 to 84.
CORBOULD-WARREN	J. Derek	John Derek Corbould-Warren. Cadet, Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Died as result of riding accident 10th July 1917. Son of John Warren and Agnes Elizabeth Corbould-Warren (nee La Fontaine), Grandson of John Warren and Maria Louisa Corbould-Warren (nee Raynes) of Tacolneston Old Hall, Norfolk. Commemoration unknown.
ELLIS	Walter	Private 240172. 5th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action Palestine 19th April 1917. Son of George and Eliza Ellis of Markshall, Norfolk. Born c1894 Whinfarthing and enlisted Stalham, Norfolk. Commemorated Gaza War Cemetery. XXIII.F.1.
FRANKLIN	George	Corporal 6696. D Company, 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action 14th September 1914. Son of (the late) William John and Mary A Franklin of Leigate Fen, Ashwicken, Norfolk. Husband of Violet Victoria S Franklin of Caistor St Edmund, Norfolk. Born 1885 Gayton and enlisted 26th October 1903 Kings Lynn, Norfolk (extends service 28th December 1905 and discharged to Reserve 25th October 1911). Commemorated La Ferte-Sous-Jourre Memorial.
FULLER	Arthur	Arthur Charles Fuller. Lance Corporal 1241. Foot Branch, Corps of Military Police. Died Netley Military Hospital 8th March 1915. Son of Henry Robert and Susanna Fuller of Caistor St Edmund, Norfolk. Born 18th April 1883 Brooke, enlisted Norwich and resident Norfolk (place unspecified). Pre war regular soldier with 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment (as 1911). Commemorated Netley Military Cemetery. C.E.1669.
LEECH	William	Private 200749. 4th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Died Palestine 4th December 1917. Son of John and Anna Leech of West Poringland, Norfolk (as CWGC, in Caistor St Edmund 1911). Born 1894 Swainsthorpe and enlisted Norwich, Norfolk. Commemorated Ramleh War Cemetery. C.8.
WHITTALL	Richard La Fontaine	Second Lieutenant. Special List (Interpreters Corps), attached 52nd Division HQ. Died of wounds 6th August 1915. Commemorated Helles Memorial. Panel 201. Note: no birth or census record found. Information Board has born c1893, son of Frank Edwin and Adelaide Whittall of Constantinople.
1939 - 1945
MINNS	Cedric Roland	Sergeant 1270648, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron. Died 23rd June 1943. Son of Henry George and Margaret May Minns of Caistor St Edmund, Norfolk. Born 15th May 1921 Caistor St Edmund, Norfolk. Commemorated Runnymede Memorial. Panel 159. Note: Information Board has Sergeant Minns as pilot. 218 Squadron Roll of Honour has Wireless Operator/Air Gunner (and photo shows half wing brevet and ‘Sparks’ badge above rank). Arrived on squadron 16th April 1943 from 1657 Conversion Unit and flew 8 operations as Wireless Operator/Air Gunner. Crewed Short Stirling BF572 HA-K. Believed shot down by night fighter.
Internal Memorial
WORLD WAR ONE 1914-1918
BACK	CHARLES EDWARD	See memorial.
BLAKE	WALTER W JOHN	See memorial.
ELLIS	WALTER	See memorial.
FRANKLIN	GEORGE	See memorial.
FULLER	ARTHUR	See memorial.
LEECH	WILLIAM	See memorial.
CORBOULD-WARREN	JOHN DEREK	See memorial.
WHITTALL	ROLAND LA FONTAINE	See memorial.
WORLD WAR II 1939-1945
MINNS	CEDRIC ROLAND	See memorial.
“FOR THEIR TOMORROW WE GAVE OUR TODAY” Information Board a Village at WarRemembering the war dead of Caistor St Edmund The Caistor St Edmund war memorial was built in the churchyard of St Edmund’s church by Reverend John Corbould Warren, the Rector of Caistor-with-Markshall, as a memorial to the men of the parish who fell in the Great War of 1914 to 1918. The eight men who died in World War I represented a high percentage of loss from Caistor St Edmund as, at that time, there were only 32 households in the village. One more name was added after World War II to record the loss of a pilot from the village.
1914-1918: World War I
BACK	Charles Edward	Rifleman Charles Edward Back. Charles Edward Back was born in Poringland. He was the son of John Back, and Charles and his father both worked as cowmen. He joined the King’s Royal Rifle Corps and died 20 September 1917.
BLAKE	Walter William John	Walter William John Blake was in the Rifle Brigade and fought in France and Flanders. He died on 29 March 1918, aged 19.
ELLIS	Walter	Private Walter Ellis. Walter Ellis, son of George and Eliza Ellis of Markshall. He joined the Norfolk Regiment and fought in Palestine. He died in action on 19 April 1917, aged 23.
FRANKLIN	George	Corporal George Franklin It seems George was underage when he enlisted with the Norfolk Regiment. He served in the Boer War, where he was shot in the foot, apparently aged just 16. He was called up upon the outbreak of WWI and fought at Mons and Le Cateau, and was killed on the Aisne on 19th September 1914, aged 29 years. As George left for war, he said to his wife, “I shan’t look round because if I do, I shall not go!”
FULLER	Arthur C	Lance Corporal Arthur C Fuller. Arthur Charles Fuller was Lance Corporal in the Military Foot Police, Military Police Corps. He was the son of Henry R Fuller of Caistor St Edmund and Susanna Fuller. He was born in Brooke and had a sister, and a brother. He died at home on 8 March 1915, aged 33.
LEECH	William	Private William Leech William Leech was son of John and Anna Leech of West Poringland. He was born in Swainsthorpe and later moved to Caistor St Edmund, attending Lower Stoke School. He joined the Norfolk Regiment and died on 4 December 1917, aged 23. He is buried in France.
CORBOULD WARREN	John Derek	J Derek Corbould Warren John Derek Corbould Warren (Derek) was born in 1899. His parents were Rev John Corbould Warren of Caistor Hall and Agnes Elizabeth Corbould Warren (nee La Fontaine). His father was Rector of Caistor-with-Markshall from 1914. He was a cadet at Sandhurst, where he suffered a riding accident in training, following which he died in Surbiton Cottage Hospital on 10 July 1917.
WHITTALL	Roland La Fontaine	Second Lieutenant Roland La Fontaine Whittall Roland William La Fontaine Whittall was the third son of Frank Edwin and Adelaide Whittall of Constantinople. At Cape Helles, in the Dardanelles, he was wounded in four places by a high explosive shell and died six days later on 6 August 1915, aged 22. The General of the 52nd Division wrote: “He was a plucky boy, who would have made a good soldier had he lived. I saw him immediately after he was wounded and he showed great courage.”
1939-1945: World War II
MINNS	Cedric Roland	Sergeant Cedric Roland Minns Cedric Roland Minns was born on 15 May 1921, at Hill House, Caistor St Edmund. He joined the RAF in the Autumn of 1940, largely as a result of his brother Douglas already having signed up. He was a pilot and only flew on four operations before being shot down over the English Channel in June 1940. The plane came down in the sea and whilst three of the crew were washed ashore and buried in Holland, his body was never recovered.
In 2014, to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of World War I, the Caistor St Edmund Parish Council secured funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to commission professional cleaning and re-cutting of the lettering on the memorial, and to produce this panel.

Last updated 13 July, 2017

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